1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable installation support and management system, and more particularly, to a technique for supporting and managing installation work of electrical cables in large plant facilities and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a conventional flow of cable design installation support and management. As shown in the figure, in an electrical wiring design section, necessary information is gathered together for each cable based on upstream design information (Step A). A cable length is determined by selecting a laying route (point numbers of cable trays (cable racks) containing a cable to be laid) (Step B). Also, a cable size and type are selected (Step C). Processes of Steps A, B, and C are performed for each cable number (Step D).
In Step E, information about cable sizes, types, lengths, and core counts, start and end point names, and laying routes (point numbers of cable trays, numbers of conduit tubes passed, and the like) gets ready and is tabulated in a wiring chart. Based on the wiring chart, a card for use to deliver instructions and information concerning a laying operation is printed for each cable. The card is referred to as a cabling data card.
As shown in FIG. 15, the cabling data card is divided along a perforated tear-off line into a portion (stub X) in which all the information is printed and a portion (stub Y) to be attached to both ends of a cable to be laid. Stub Y is used as a guide in cable-laying and cable end connection.
Also, cables are prepared based on the wiring chart (Step F).
In an on-site installation and installation management section, a desired cable is cut off from a cable drum based on the information recorded on the cabling data card (Step K). Stub Y torn off from stub X is pasted to both ends of the cut cable (Step L).
The cable with stub Y is laid along the laying route printed on stub X (Step M). A cabling check list is printed on the back of stub X and used for checking after the laying operation.
Next, the cable ends are treated (stripping and terminal mounting) (Step N) and the cable is connected to a panel and terminal board (Step O).
Connecting position information needed for operations in Steps N and O in connecting the cable to equipment and the electrical panel is obtained from a connection diagram created based on a sequence diagram and the worker performs a connection operation by referring to the connection diagram. After the connection operation, the worker confirms that connecting positions agree with the drawing and puts a check mark in a recording sheet (Step P).
A manager checks connected wires against the connection diagram, and signs the recording sheet if it is confirmed that the operation has been performed properly.
Conventionally, there has been proposed a cabling management system which labels cables with barcodes containing data (such as cable names, standards, size and total length) needed for management of cable-laying operations, reads the barcodes using a barcode reader, and inputs the data in an information processing unit (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-161224).